The United States has yet to make a decision on sanctions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Jennifer Psaki told a briefing in Washington on Tuesday.
“If they proceed down this path, it is likely we will proceed down our own path, which reflects a range of options including individuals, the financial sector,” Psaki said.
“There’s a range of options that are at our disposal. It doesn’t mean that we may go down one path or the other. Obviously, this is evaluated day by day,” she said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said earlier that Russia will respond if the United States imposes sanctions over Ukraine.
“We explained to the Americans on many occasions, with facts in hand and legal excerpts, why their unilateral sanctions do not fit into the standards of civilized inter-state relations. They fail to produce the needed effect. It means, we will have to respond, though not necessarily by mirroring (such sanctions),” Lukashevich said in a commentary over claims by U.S. officials to impose sanctions against Russia.
“As ever in similar situations provoked by Washington’s ill-considered and irresponsible actions, we stress: this is not our choice,” the commentary says.
